My Mute Bride

Not long after Victor left, Rachel heard the doorbell ring.

Originally thinking he left something behind, she opened the door, only to see a courier.

“Ms. Rachel Hudson?”

Upon hearing that, Rachel nodded.

“There are two intracity express parcels for you. Please sign here.”

Startled, she signed for the parcels, thereafter receiving a cake and a paper bag.

Right now on the table, there was still half an uneaten cake that Victor had rushed out to buy at noon upon finding out it was her birthday.

So, who bought the cake that the courier delivered?

Setting it aside on the table for now, she pulled a rectangular suede box out of the paper bag.

With a click, she opened it and discovered a silver-colored necklace in the box that glimmered underneath the light

The pendant was in the simple design of a small sun with a hollow center.

Putting down the box, she found a card on top of the cake box that simply read ‘Happy Birthday’ without any signature.

Dumbfounded, she stared at the items until her phone started vibrating.

It was a text message from Julian reading, ‘Did you receive what I sent?’

Immediately, she understood. ‘I did. I was wondering who would remember my birthday.’

‘Don’t forget that you’re a patient of mine. It’s not strange that I would remember your birthday.’

‘Thank you.

‘You’re welcome. Are you free? I just finished work; come down for a walk with me!

Looking at the time, she agreed, ‘Okay.’

At this hour after dinner, the community was lively. All of the houses were lit up, and the sound of children laughing could be heard around the neighborhood as they ran around playing.

Before she could even offer some to anyone, a

is

‘wait’ motion with her hand, she lifted a knife and a paper plate, preparing to

box to the side.

happened to be a little girl in pigtails,

sing the

her eyes and make a

must blow

Rachel shook her head to indicate to Julian that there was

‘Happy Birthday’ in unison. The delicate chorus of young voices would have a healing

“Make a wish.”

There’s no need.

your heart

head to look, she found a little girl who wasn’t even at table height yet looking up

gazes of the children, clasped her hands and made a wish. After that, she blew out the candles and began to give the cake out to

you!” their parents instructed,

plates, the children raced off, dabbing icing on each other’s faces. Just like that, the strangers in the

Rachel finally smiled for the first time in days. Thank

Walking her back to her apartment building, Julian continued, “The most important thing right

anyway, so I might as well pretend it never existed for now. At that point, Rachel’s expression was

on upstairs, then. It’s been getting colder lately, so make sure

turned and headed toward

her apartment and about to

the door was propped open by a

his darkened face made all the more grotesque by the centipede-like scar on it. Suddenly,

he out on business?

into the house

you’ve been getting

steps

pulled off his necktie and threw it onto

icebergs as he sneered, “I suppose you wouldn’t want

by step he approached her, forcing her back

idea what she did

she staggered after him and was dragged all the way